Sunday, May 3, 2009

Ok, so this wasn't really dinner, but it definitely could be a meal! This recipe came about because of my low blood sugar issues... i.e., when I get hungry, I get grumpy!! My mom and I went shopping this morning after breakfast, and then went straight to visit my grandma in the hospital. We were there for a few hours, so by the time we left it was 4:30 and I hadn't eaten since 11. So I had food on the brain. There was an outdated issue of "Every Day with Rachel Ray" in the hospital room, and we found this recipe. Almost every Ray-ray recipe I've made has been out-of-this-world delicious, so we gave these a shot when we got home because we didn't have to go shopping for any of the ingredients. The result is a healthy version of nachos that gives you everything you love in a nacho. Try these. You'll thank me.

PS - I took pictures of my cooking process a la Pioneer Woman. She's everything I want to be in life. If you find yourself needing some extra butter and fat in your world, make some of her stuff. Seriously. It's outstanding. And fattening. But mostly outstanding.

The first thing to do is chop an onion finely and run a few cloves of garlic through a garlic press. I used a medium sized onion and three cloves, because I'm 23 and can still handle garlic. Although my mother is slightly older than 23 and she loved this recipe. So use your judgment. Brown the onions and garlic in a big pan.

Is there anything in the world that smells better than onions and garlic cooking? No there is not. One day I will share with you my slave-over-a-hot-stove tomato sauce, and you can experience this smell for hours. Swoon. Faint. Pitter-pat goes my heart.

Once the onions are slightly browned, add about 3 cups broccoli and 1 15-oz can cannelloni beans. Well, I have no idea what cannelloni beans actually are, so I used the white beans I had. They were great. Add these plus about 1/3 cup water and heat through. The recipe didn't call for this, but I added about a cup to a cup and a half of spicy salsa. Delish.

The recipe says to dump the entire mix on top of some tortilla chips and about 1 cup cheese in an oven-safe dish. Can I tell you? Leave the tortilla chips out. They got soggy. Just sprinkle the cheese on the bottom of the baking dish, then add the mix. Sprinkle 2 more cups of cheese on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 3 minutes, just enough for the cheese to melt and brown on top. Mommala couldn't keep her hands out of it while I was trying to snap a photo.

Annnd here's me, mid-devour. My mom told me she was looking at the picture of her, when in fact she was snapping this flattering picture. She's so clever, that mom of mine.

And please, whenever you cook anything on a Sunday evening, have a glass of this. I'm sure you're supposed to pair the flavors and be all snobby, but I like what I like. And what I like is this:

Lindeman's Bin #40 Merlot. They have an office in Del Rio, where Art lives, which is where I first had it. Then I realized Kroger sold it and I've pretty much never been the same since. Dear Lindeman's, send me some free bottles of your delicious Merlot.

Oh, and here's me and my mom with Rachel Ray. She came over for some nachos too. Just kidding, actually we stood in line for a long long time in December to snap this shot for two seconds and get her autograph and not say a word to her. But you wouldn't know that if I didn't tell you. I love your healthy nachos, Ray Ray.

In other news, I got my dress top made this weekend. It looked horrible for so long, and then all of a sudden I turned it right side out and it was perfect. But more about that manana.